amnhnyc:We’ve got GIANT sloth news: Mylodon darwinii, also known as “Darwin’s ground sloth,” was a g
amnhnyc:We’ve got GIANT sloth news: Mylodon darwinii, also known as “Darwin’s ground sloth,” was a giant ground sloth that lived in South America until about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. It’s thought to have weighed between 2,200 and 4,400 pounds (998 kilograms and 1,996 kilograms) and was nearly 10 feet (3 meters) long! Similar to its living relatives, Mylodon was thought to have mainly been an herbivore—until now. A new study from Museum Research Associate Julia Tejada provides the first direct evidence of omnivory in an ancient sloth species! Research suggests that this behemoth animal was not a strict vegetarian, at times eating meat or other animal protein in addition to plants. Read more with the #linkinbio. Artistic reconstruction: Jorge Blanco #sloth #naturalhistory #museums #amnh #animalkingdom #animallover #sciencefacts (at American Museum of Natural History)https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwEwjoAos2/?utm_medium=tumblr -- source link
#reblog#paleontology#mylodon#mylodontidae#ground sloth#giant sloth#pilosa#xenarthra#mammal#omnivory#isotope analysis